Author: Julie M. Smith

I live in Austin, Texas, with my husband, Derrick, an electrical engineer. We have three boys: Simon ('98), Nathan ('01), and Truman ('04). We are a homeschooling family and I also teach at the LDS Institute here in Austin. I have a BA in English from UT Austin and an MA in Biblical Studies (Theology) from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, where I specialized in the study of women in the New Testament. I wrote my thesis on Mark 14:3-9, which I explored from literary and feminist perspectives to determine how the story teaches the audience about Jesus's identity. I wrote a book, Search, Ponder, and Pray: A Guide to the Gospels. It contains 4,000 questions (no answers) designed to get the LDS reader to really think about the scriptures and to introduce the major findings of biblical studies to the general reader. I like to read, buy books, and go out for ethnic food.

Hypothetical

by Julie M. Smith • July 16, 2007 • 112 Comments

What would happen if there was no question in the temple recommend interview about the Word of Wisdom–but there was one about home and visiting teaching?

Guest Post: The Apostles’ Creed and the Book of Mormon

by Julie M. Smith • July 11, 2007 • 55 Comments

This post was written by Bryan Stout; his biography appears at the end of the post.

Elder Busche on Women and Priesthood

by Julie M. Smith • July 10, 2007 • 63 Comments

When F. Enzio Busche was a temple president, he was once asked by a priesthood leader “when [he] thought the Church would receive revelation giving the priesthood to women.”

Losing my Religion

by Julie M. Smith • July 8, 2007 • 87 Comments

I did grad work in biblical studies in Berkeley in the 90s, which means that the Documentary Hypothesis was one of the unquestioned tenets of my faith.

The Limits of Tolerance

by Julie M. Smith • July 2, 2007 • 101 Comments

I suppose that I can support the legalization of polygamy with certain specific limitations.

New Pew Study

by Julie M. Smith • July 1, 2007 • 96 Comments

See here.

Glasnost

by Julie M. Smith • June 20, 2007 • 44 Comments

The September Ensign has an article about the Mountain Meadows Massacre (HT: M*).

Interview with Elder Christofferson

by Julie M. Smith • June 12, 2007 • 49 Comments

Read it here. (HT: BCC) Lots of hot topics: polygamy, women and the priesthood, evolution, Romney, etc. Discuss.

A Few of My Favorite Things

by Julie M. Smith • June 8, 2007 • 30 Comments

How to Dissent Like a General Authority

by Julie M. Smith • June 5, 2007 • 64 Comments

I’m gonna steal BCC’s idea going to contribute to the fine discussions of the lifting of the priesthood ban with a few thoughts on what we might learn from some responses to the ban.

“LDS in survey call for unvarnished history”

by Julie M. Smith • May 27, 2007 • 53 Comments

“The Mormons” Open Thread

by Julie M. Smith • April 30, 2007 • 18 Comments

Well . . . what did you think?

–snap–

by Julie M. Smith • April 27, 2007 • 51 Comments

That was me. Snapping. Wanna know why?

What Women Need

by Julie M. Smith • April 19, 2007 • 131 Comments

In the article announcing the new Relief Society Presidency, the reporter writes that President Beck’s “primary concerns are the lack of self-worth and sense of identity that plague too many women, she said, adding that Relief Society functions under inspired leadership and can help counter such feelings.”

A Three Month Supply?

by Julie M. Smith • April 1, 2007 • 39 Comments

I suspect that a change has been made to the counsel regarding food storage. See here.

Love and Marriage

by Julie M. Smith • March 30, 2007 • 165 Comments

There’s an interesting article in the Deseret News about the trend of delayed marriage among LDS singles. Thoughts?

Cheney at BYU

by Julie M. Smith • March 28, 2007 • 244 Comments

BYU’s speaker policy: “No speaker will be invited to campus whose expression of personal or political values would demean the principles of BYU and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”